The highest-paying bodyguard jobs typically come from private clients who hire bodyguards through an agency. Taking a bodyguard training course can help aspiring bodyguards make these kinds of connections. Professional organizations such as the North American Bodyguard Association also work to connect skilled bodyguards with clients. Aspiring bodyguards with appropriate experience can also find job listings through career websites such as Indeed or SimplyHired. These sites offer listings both through agencies and individual clients.

While there are no definitive requirements to become an armed bodyguard, nearly everyone in the profession holds specialized experience in security, intelligence or military service. Top-level bodyguards uniformly come from high-ranking military or law enforcement positions. While some clients may desire official training programs or a college education, these are not common requirements.

Bodyguards are responsible for protecting clients and minimizing threats, so they must be able to quickly assess and react to situations. A major part of the job is locating potential threats in a room and reacting to them before they become a problem. Bodyguards must also be able to deal with long shifts and inconsistent hours.